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Self-assessment is essential for individual development planning

Miodrag Ivanovic
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Self-assessment is the first, relevant and valid part of knowing yourself through the process of completing different tests, which will help you to identify your strengths and weaknesses and, at the same time, opportunities and threats coming from internal and external environments. Web site, Indeed (2024) underlines that self-assessment is a process of evaluating one’s own skills, knowledge, and abilities. It is an essential tool for personal development planning and future development.

Self-assessment helps individuals identify their strengths and weaknesses, set realistic goals, and develop strategies to enhance their skills and knowledge. It also helps individuals understand how well they perform in their role, grow intrinsic motivation for development, and gain recognition for improvement.

Individual development planning establishes aims and objectives, assesses current realities, identifies needs for skills, knowledge, or competence, and selects appropriate development activities to meet those perceived needs. By performing self-assessment, individuals can identify their development needs and choose appropriate development activities to meet them. This process enables individuals to evaluate the value of their overall process of learning, leadership, management, and other training and consider their future leadership development.

To be able to complete the self-assessment and the individual development plan, you need to follow the tasks listed below.

  1. Understand your ability to accomplish critical responsibilities of the leadership role effectively and efficiently.
    1. Evaluate your ability to use a range of leadership styles in different situations and with different types of people to undertake the leadership role.
    2. Use theories of emotional intelligence to review the effect of emotions on one’s own and others’ performance.
  2. Be able to evaluate your ability to lead others.
    1. Review your ability to set direction and communicate with employees and the main stakeholders.
    2. Review your ability to motivate, delegate, and empower your staff.
    3. Complete your SWOT analysis and the TOWS matrix with exit strategies.
    4. Complete Boyatzis’ Theory of Self-Directed Learning using an ideal-self and real-self method.
  3. Produce an individual development plan to improve your ability to lead with short-, medium-, and long-term objectives.

In the process of completing the above tasks, you need to complete the following self-assessment tests, including (1) Personality test, (2) Belbin test, (3) EI test, (4) Dweck’ fixed and growth mind, (5) Leadership test, (6) Aptitude test, (7) Entrepreneurial test.

When you complete all the bellow tests, analyse, evaluate them, and complete the personal development plan. Read and follow the guidance and explanation in the provided links.

A personal development plan is a strategy that helps individuals identify their strengths and weaknesses, set goals, and create a roadmap to achieve them. It is important for individuals because it can help them:

  1. Increase self-awareness: A personal development plan can help individuals identify their strengths and weaknesses, which can help them
    make better decisions about their careers, relationships, and personal life.
  2. Improve skills: A personal development plan can help individuals identify the skills they need to develop to achieve their goals and
    create a plan to acquire them.
  3. Increase motivation: A personal development plan can help individuals stay focused on and motivated to achieve their goals.
  4. Achieve their goals: A personal development plan can help individuals set realistic goals and create a roadmap to achieve them.

An individual development plan (IDP) is a tool that helps employees identify their professional development goals and the steps they need to take to achieve them. It is an essential component of the performance appraisal process as it helps employees and managers align their expectations and goals and identify areas for improvement and growth.

An IDP can help employees to:

  1. Identify their strengths and weaknesses
  2. Set realistic and achievable goals
  3. Develop new skills and knowledge
  4. Enhance their performance and productivity
  5. Prepare for future roles and responsibilities

By creating an IDP, employees can take ownership of their professional development and work towards achieving their career aspirations.
In summary, self-assessment and IDP are essential steps for every individual, employed or unemployed, to know himself/herself and especially to find out which areas need to improve. In a broad sense, completing the above steps is important for employees and managers to align their expectations and goals and identify areas for improvement and growth.

References:

  1. How To Perform a Self-Assessment (Definition and Example), available at https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/self-assessments [Accessed, 12 January 2024]
  2. The performance appraisal skills, available at https://www.scra.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/SCRA-appraisal-scheme.pdf [Accessed, 12 January 2024]
  3. GUIDE to the COMPLETION of A PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN, available at https://www.managers.org.uk/wp- content/uploads/2020/04/Personal-Development-Plan-Example-Guide.pdf [Accessed, 12 January 2024]
  4. Lični plan razvoja – struktura, sadržaj i osnovni principi izrade, available at https://www.miodragivanovic.com/licni-plan-razvoja-struktura-sadrzaj-i-osnovni-principi-izrade/.[Accessed, 12 January 2024]
  5. CIPD, The profession Map, available at: https://peopleprofession.cipd.org/profession-map, [Accessed, 12 January 2024]
  6. What is Continuing Professional Development (CPD)? Available at https://cpduk.co.uk/explained, [Accessed, 12 January 2024]
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